Recommendations for snow blower

[Stretch]

My mom and dad are 59 years old and 68 years old respectively.

I don't want them to have to worry about shoveling their driveway anymore, and they refuse to pay wandering laborers to do it. For the last year, I've been driving over right before big storms hit and clearing out the heavy stuff for them.

So, any recommendations on snow blowers? Price isn't a huge issue, I just want to get them something that's reliable and easy to use.

[Kuyuk]

http://images.wikia.com/simpsons/images/2/28/Mr._Plow_2.gif

[Stretch]

Intriguing.

However, I am 97% sure that getting my vision-impaired Asian mother a four ton vehicle modified to clear shit out of the way is a good way for her to end up on the nightly news.

[NocturnalRob]

I suggest you ask Snow.

Infooooooormer!!

[Jorddyn]

I have an Ariens something-or-other that I bought used (for $250 I might add - thanks uncle Tom!). It is a pile of awesome and I would hurt anyone who tried to take it from me.

My advice: Like with many things, bigger is better. Don't waste your time on the little new ones you can buy for <$300.

[Sheikh]

Some things that will allow us to better help you would be knowing how much snow they get and how often. Blowing 4 inches vs. 2 feet is much different.

[Kuyuk]

Some things that will allow us to better help you would be knowing how much they get and how often. Blowing 4 inches vs. 2 feet is much different.

Quoted just in case.

[RichardCranium]

Johnny 5 says that the snow blower is, in fact, your mother.

[Paradii]

Johnny 5 says that the snow blower is, in fact, your mother.


Damnit, I opened this thread to make a Short Circuit joke.

[Bobmuhthol]

THAT NAME AGAIN IS MR. PLOW.

[Sheikh]

Quoted just in case.

Get back in the kitchen

[Cephalopod]

Two things:

1) As was already mentioning, dealing with occasional an occasional 2 inches is very different from dealing with a frequent 10 inches or semi-frequent 2 feet. What region is this?
2) What size area would they be snow-blowing?

In general, cheap snowblowers will wind up causing you more pain and agony than shoveling with a teaspoon.

Having said that, I've seen these things they use to clear train platforms lately that are like 8 inches wide. They're light and fast, and would be perfect for an older person blowing a small amount of now. I just have no idea how to even begin searching for them online.

Finally, are they overweight Asians like you? They might be cruising for heart attacks no matter what.

[Stretch]

They live in DC. Before last year, the most the area had gotten in most years prior was 4-5 inches of snow. Last year was more than a foot on occasion, and today I think was 5 or 6 inches.

They're not overweight, they're just old (old enough to be Parkbandit's dad old.)

[Swami71]

Here's what Consumer Reports recommends:

Heavy Snow/Large driveways
Troy-Bilt Storm 3090 XP 31AH55Q
Ariens 921022
Troy-Bilt Storm 2840 31AH64Q
Medium Snow/driveways
Craftsman 88970

[Anebriated]

No matter what you get try to avoid one that has to be plugged in while in use.

[Latrinsorm]

After my dad had a heart attack my parents got a Toro Snow Curve 1800, and they love it. It is plugged in while you use it, so get your parents an extension cord if they don't have one.

[DrZaius]

Living in a cold weather state, I can offer some unique advice on this. Obviously they're not going to get a ton of Snow in DC, but when they do they're going to want to deal with it quickly.

The very best type of snow blower is a gas powered machine, but that has an electric start. So, instead of trying to get the motor to turn over at 630 AM by yanking on the cord like a lawn mower, you plug it into an extension cord and get it kicking, then throw the cord back in your garage and go about your business. It has the best of both worlds; it lets you have an electric start, but it also means you aren't tied to a cord (which can get very annoying when you're doing the back and forth motion of clearing a driveway).

-DrZ

[Anebriated]

Living in a cold weather state, I can offer some unique advice on this. Obviously they're not going to get a ton of Snow in DC, but when they do they're going to want to deal with it quickly.

The very best type of snow blower is a gas powered machine, but that has an electric start. So, instead of trying to get the motor to turn over at 630 AM by yanking on the cord like a lawn mower, you plug it into an extension cord and get it kicking, then throw the cord back in your garage and go about your business. It has the best of both worlds; it lets you have an electric start, but it also means you aren't tied to a cord (which can get very annoying when you're doing the back and forth motion of clearing a driveway).

-DrZ

I support this message. you do NOT want a cord attached while removing snow.

[Stanley Burrell]

Maybe for her own protection, she should let the snow pile up. If you can somehow ramify the whole old, blind, Asian and female situation, then I guess you could venture into snowblowers. For Chairman Mao.

[pabstblueribbon]

Inspire.

Oh... snow-blower not snow-baller.

Well he blows too I guess.